John Hurt to play Doctor Who

John Hurt will star as "part of the Doctor" in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary episode, in a "kind of trinity" with Matt Smith and David Tennant

John Hurt will star as "part of the Doctor" in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary episode.

The 73-year-old actor will form part of a "kind of trinity" of actors playing the programme's lead character, alongside the current Time Lord, Matt Smith, and 10th Doctor David Tennant, the Eastern Daily Press newspaper reports.

The 50th anniversary show is shrouded in secrecy, but a number of actors who have played the Time Lord are expected to have some part in the special episode.

Also confirmed for the show is Billie Piper, who played the Doctor's companion Rose Tyler from 2005 to 2010, and 'Gavin and Stacey' star Joanna Page.

The long-awaited episode will also feature many adversaries, including Zygons - extra-terrestrial characters, who first appeared in the British TV series in 1975 - as well as Daleks.

Part of the episode was recently filmed in London's Trafalgar Square, where Matt was spotted dangling from the TARDIS.

Speaking in a video diary of the shoot released by the BBC on the official 'Doctor Who' website, Matt said: "It's very exciting. I'm trying to persuade them to actually let me go up, because I'll get to see all of London and it will be, you know, cool."